The prior art contains a number of previous designs for detachable protection strips for vehicles, and the following are exemplary:
U.S. Pat. 3,582,134, issued June 1, 1971 to Shaff, is directed to a strip incorporating magnets and a stiffening wire. However, the strip does not have any convenient method for being rolled up and stored.
U.S. Pat. 3,659,887, issued May 2, 1972 to Marquette, shows a similar detachable protector held in place by magnets. The protector is telescopingly slidable.
Both of the foregoing prior art designs suffer from the disadvantage that the individual portions are easily stolen from the side of the automobile. This problem is particularly acute in view of the fact that the strips are in several different pieces.
U.S. Pat. 3,472,546, issued Oct. 14, 1969 to Samuels, discloses an embodiment of a side protection strip which incorporates hooks that engage the side edges of the door, thus providing some discouragement to theft. However, the strip does not have any convenient means for being wrapped up upon itself.
U.S. Pat. 3,687,792, issued Aug. 29, 1972 to Ruff, is directed to a decorative trim strip incorporating a plastic bumper bonded to a decorative surface, and is not intended to be an easily removable protection strip.
U.S. Pat. 4,498,697, issued Feb. 12, 1985 to McGlone et al, is directed to a portable vehicle protection tube incorporating a magnet which is flexible. However the strip has no convenient means for being wrapped up to form a small-volume item.